Yin and Yang
by OtterMoone
Summary: *Rated T just to be safe, for language, and possibly later chapters* This is the story of how Zuko and Katara fell in love. Starts at the beginning of ATLA and works its way through the series. It will end after Sozin's Comet. This is my first story, so reviews would be greatly appreciated!
1. Chapter 1

******A/N: Thanks for choosing to read this! I hope you like it :)**

**DISCLAIMER********: I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender . Enough said .**

**********EDIT 12/17/12**** Hey, guys! I'm glad I'm not a mother yet, because if this was my baby, I'd be considered a neglectful parent. **

******I'm going through the chapters that are thus far published, and I think now that I have high school (mostly) under control, now that I'm almost done with it, I'll actually try to update this story on a regular basis. I haven't given up yet! :)**

Prince Zuko paced on the deck of his ship, not even feeling the extreme cold of the South Pole which he sailed through, and sighing yet again at his pointless mission.

___Capture the Avatar? I've been trying for years, father! Can't you see I'm not going to? I'm beginning to believe he was killed along with the rest of the Air Nomads in that extermination a hundred years ago! _

___And I think you believe that, too. I understand that you hate me, and that I have dishonored you, but I wish you would give me a less impossible task, _he thought angrily to himself for what felt like the three hundredth time.

He felt so alone. So isolated. He didn't feel only sixteen. He felt more like sixty. Suddenly, a bright light shot into the sky from a far off distance. Zuko watched in awe as it lit up the sky for miles around.

He suddenly knew that this light was no ordinary or natural light, and as if to confirm this thought, a wave of intense energy swept over him. As the light began to dim, he breathed, "Finally..."

Then, turning to his Uncle Iroh, who sat with him on the deck as he always did, keeping him company, he cried excitedly, "Uncle! Do you realize what this means?" For a moment, he wondered if his Uncle would try to pretend he hadn't noticed the astounding light.

To his relief, however, Iroh grumbled, "I won't get to finish my game?" He didn't think he would ever understand what his Uncle found so intriguing about Pai Sho.

Choosing to ignore his Uncle's comment, he replied breathlessly, "It means, my search- it's about to come to an end!"_At last_, he thought with satisfaction.

****O**o**O**o**O**o**O**o**O**o**O**o**O**o**O**o**O****

Katara shivered as she waited for the impending attack. If her village was destroyed... It would be all her fault. She bowed her head in dismay.

___I knew that old ship was bad news. I knew, but I didn't have the heart to disappoint poor Aang. And now look what it's led to. A flare going off that will most definitely bring the Fire Nation, and possibly the destruction of my village, if not also... Another death..._she thought to herself.

Remembering her mother, she felt her eyes begin to water, but she furiously blinked back tears. ___No! This is no time to cry, Katara! You need to be strong, at least for the children!__ s_he scolded herself.

Then, her breath caught in her chest as the ground around her began to shake violently, villagers started screaming, and a giant ship began sailing into the ice towards her village, causing the ice to crack. ___Oh no... Oh no, no, no... _

She grabbed Gran Gran by the arm and hurriedly began herding her into their tent. Glancing back, she gasped as she saw a little boy directly in front of the fast moving crack. Panicking, she dove to scoop him up and only barely made it out of the way.

Swiftly placing the little boy in his tent, she turned to see how her brother was doing.

"SOKKA! GET OUT OF THE WAY!" she screamed at him as he stood directly in the ship's path as it continued to approach at a very fast speed, not even 10 feet away from him.

But the idiot stood his ground. Thankfully, the ship stopped before it hit him, and sent him down a tiny slope on a mini-avalanche. She sighed in relief. I_f he had been hurt, or DIED..._

Then, her mouth dropped to the ground as the front of the ship opened (nearly hitting Sokka in the process), revealing several Fire Nation soldiers... and a boy, only a few years older than her at most: he had the most striking golden eyes she had ever seen and a severe scar on the left side of his face, and he held himself in a very regal and dignified manner.

She immediately knew without a doubt that this boy was important somehow, and without meaning to, or wanting to, she felt a slight respect towards him, even as more fear enveloped her.

****O**o**O**o**O**o**O**o**O**o**O**o**O**o**O**o**O****

As the door lowered, the first thing Zuko saw was villagers with their mouths hanging open in astonishment. A surge of pride flowed through him as he realized how awed by his ship they must be.

As he walked down the ramp, a girl at the front of the group somewhere around his age, with deep brown hair done in a tribal style, and an aura of defiance and power, despite her size and gender, caught his eye.

He noticed that, whether consciously or unconsciously, she held her arms out to her sides, as if she could shield the little group by herself.

He grudgingly felt a bit of respect, because he recognized in her the same quality of stubborn perseverance he himself had, but he also felt she was foolish, trying to protect a whole group of people with her one tiny body.

Then, a boy about his age with a strangely painted face rushed toward him with a stick, screaming. He easily kicked him out of the way and continued on his way down the ramp, causing the villagers to gasp, and made his way over to the group.

He paced in front of them, then made his way back over to the defiant girl, and looked into her face up close for just a moment. Like the rest of her people, her skin was very tan, her eyes very big and very blue. ___Like a blue flame,_he thought passively.

She also wore a pretty little blue necklace with a water emblem carved onto a rounded piece of animal bone. Then, he turned and addressed the group.

"Where are you hiding him?" He waited. When no one answered him, he glared at the girl for a few seconds. ___As if it's her fault._

Then, angrily, he reached towards the old woman next her. The girl flinched, thinking he was about to grab her, which gave Zuko great satisfaction for some reason.

As soon as she recovered, she grabbed onto the old woman's arm, but he pulled it out of her grasp.

"He'd be about this age," he continued. "Master of all elements?" When the group looked up at him with confusion written all over their faces, he shoved the old woman back at them and sent a wave of flames over their heads in his anger.

"I___know _you're hiding him!" He shouted. He noticed the girl glare at him from the corner of his eye. ___Control, Zuko. You don't want to hurt any of them if it can be avoided._

Then, he was momentarily distracted when the annoying paint-face boy ran at him with a stick again, shouting. He easily ducked, sending the boy flying over him, and sent a flame at him, in an attempt to discourage further attacks.

The boy rolled out of the way and threw a boomerang at his head, which did___not _please Zuko at all, even if it missed. "Show no fear!" A little child cried, and tossed the boy a spear.

The boy caught it and once again ran at Zuko, who easily broke it and hit him in the head a couple of times, sending him tumbling to the floor.

___This boy is really stubborn... I wonder, is it a tribe thing, or are he and the girl related somehow?_

As Zuko stared at the boy, challenging him to do something else, the boomerang the boy had thrown came back and hit him quite hard in the back of the head, causing him to stumble around and groan, which frankly pissed Zuko off, having displayed weakness in front of enemies.

Fire began flying out of his fists in his rage, until an otter-penguin came from behind and sent him flying into the air, making him land on his face, which then caused his helmet to humiliatingly land on... his butt.

When he got back on his feet, he took a deep breath in order to control his new-found rage and to avoid hurting innocent bystanders, and prepared for battle with the newly arrived Avatar, who promptly sent piles of snow at Zuko and his soldiers.

"Looking for me?" asked the Avatar in a boy's voice. Bewildered, Zuko looked closer. Indeed, a boy, twelve at the oldest, garbed in orange monks robes was before him, blue arrows on his bald head and hands, a wooden staff in his grip- he was not an old and ancient warrior, as Zuko had been expecting to find for so long.

In amazement, he thought, ___Why... the Avatar... is a little boy?__ "____You're__ t_he airbender?" he asked in surprise. "___YOU'RE_the Avatar?" He shook off his astonishment in the next few moments.

He would contemplate this later. "I've spent years preparing for this encounter. Training. Meditating. You're just a child!" he told the boy mockingly. "Well, you're just a teenager..." the boy replied.

This was Zuko's last straw, and he began shooting fireball after fireball at him, which the boy blocked by spinning his staff. Finally, the Avatar stopped, and asked dejectedly, "If I go with you... Will you promise to leave everyone alone?"

Zuko hesitated for a moment. ___He may be the enemy, but I still have enough honor left to keep my word, _he thought to himself. And so, he nodded.

The boy put down his staff, and the soldiers grabbed him and took him on-board the ship. Distantly, he heard the girl cry, "No, Aang! Don't do this!"

As he walked up the ramp, he shouted ahead, "Set a course to the Fire Nation! I'm going home." Suddenly, Zuko didn't feel so hopeless.

******Don't forget to review, please! :) And if you're worried about length, the next chapters are longer.**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: If you've made it even **_**this **_**far, I thank you greatly :D And please: Don't forget to review!**

DISCLAIMER: **I sadly don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender :( . Oh well . *sighs* That's why there's fanfiction, and fan art, and fan videos... ;)**

******EDIT 12/17/12**** Hey, guys! I'm glad I'm not a mother yet, because if this was my baby, I'd be considered a neglectful parent. I'm going through the chapters that are thus far published, and I think now that I have high school (mostly) under control, now that I'm almost done with it, I'll actually try to update this story on a regular basis. I haven't given up yet! :)**

The trio was staying in a forest, just a few days after the events at Omashu. Sokka was trying to persuade Aang and Katara to eat nuts he had found for dinner which they were very unwilling to do, when Katara heard noises and followed the sound to the source. She was intrigued by the boy she found earthbending. He had long brown hair pulled back with a green hair tie, and was levitating a rock. "An earthbender..." Katara breathed. _An earthbender who's around my age..._ she thought to herself. "Let's go meet him!" said Aang excitedly. _My thought exactly,_ Katara thought to herself smugly, and she jumped over the log the trio was hiding behind, ignoring Sokka, who was saying, "He looks dangerous, so we better approach cautiously..." "Hello there!" she called with a big smile. "I'm Katara! What's your name?" It took the boy a moment to realize that someone was talking to him, but when he registered this fact, he gasped, and began running away, sending a pile of rocks to block the three from following him. Katara's face fell. _Do I scare him that much? _she mused sadly. "Nice to meet you!" shouted Aang. Katara couldn't tell if he was being serious or sarcastic. "I just wanted to say hi..." Katara muttered, slightly annoyed now. "Hey, that guy's gotta be running somewhere!" Aang suddenly cried excitedly. "Maybe we're near a village!" _What is he getting at?_ Katara thought, perplexed. "And I bet that village has a _**MARKET**_!" he continued. Katara suddenly understood, now as excited as Aang. "Which means no nuts for dinner!" she exclaimed happily, and began running the way the earthbender boy had. "Hey, I worked hard to get those nuts!" she distantly heard Sokka say.

Katara drifted lazily through the market place when she suddenly spotted the earthbender boy, and excitedly ran after him as he entered a shop. "Hi mom," she heard the boy say. "Where have you been, Haru? You're late! Get started on your chores," a woman's voice responded. Katara opened the door to the shop. "Hey!" she said to the boy. She heard him give a little gasp. "You're that kid! Why did you run away before?" she continued. "Uh... you must have me confused with some other kid," he replied uneasily. "No she doesn't! We saw you earthbending!" Katara heard Aang reply behind her. The boy's mother gasped and closed the windows. "They saw you doing _WHAT_?" she asked her son angrily. "They're _crazy_, mom! I mean, lookit how they're dressed!" Katara covered herself in embarrassment. _I _knew_ something was wrong with me! _she thought to herself. That's _probably why he ran away! Ugh, if I had just grabbed some different clothes..._ "You know how dangerous that is!" his mother scolded. "You know what would happen if_they _caught you earthbending!" Suddenly, there was pounding on the shop door. "Open up!" they all heard a voice shout. Sokka peeked through the blinds. "Fire Nation!" he hissed, sounding panicked. "Act natural!" The door opened and a fire warrior glared at them all. "What do you want?" snapped the boy's mother. "I've already paid you this week!" Her face showed just how angry she was. "The tax just doubled," replied the warrior pleasantly, "and we wouldn't want an accident, would we?" A fireball suddenly appeared between his two hands. "Fire. It's sometimes so hard to control." He smiled mockingly at the woman. Her face suddenly crumpled, and she took out a small wooden box, scooping out all of the rest of the change and handing it to him. "You can keep the copper ones," the warrior said carelessly, tossing a few coins on the floor and walking out of the shop smugly. Katara burned with rage. _That poor woman! And that as- _she seethed. "Nice guy," Sokka said, once the door had closed. "How long has the Fire Nation been here?" "Five years," the woman replied. "Firelord Ozai uses our coal town's coal mines to fuel his ships." "They're thugs! They steal from us, and everyone here is too much of a coward to do anything about it!" Haru snarled. "Quiet, Haru! Don't talk like that." "But, Haru's an earthbender!" Katara told her pleadingly. "He can help!" "Earthbending is forbidden. It's caused nothing but misery for this village. He must _NEVER_ use his abilities." "How can you say that?" Katara said, feeling a bit angry. "Haru has a _gift_! Asking him not to earthbend is like... asking me not to waterbend! It's part of who we are!" "You don't understand..." the woman said, sighing and shaking her head."I understand that Haru can help you fight back!" she argued. "What can the Fire Nation do to you that they haven't done already?" "They could take Haru away!" the woman cried, pain showing in her eyes. "Like they took his father..." Katara suddenly felt great shame come over her as Haru looked away.

"I'm sorry about what I said earlier," Katara told Haru as she walked with him. "I didn't know about your father." "That's okay. It's funny, the way you were talking back in the store? It... reminded me of him," he replied quietly. "Thanks," said Katara, taking it as a compliment. Haru continued to tell her about his father, and Katara found herself liking him more and more. She told him about her mother, her voice nearly cracking, and they both stared blankly into the sunset for a little bit.

As they walked back to Haru's house, a coal mine collapsed, and they heard an old man crying for help. They both tried pulling him out, but to no avail. "Haru- there's a way you can help," Katara hurriedly told him. "I... can't," he said, hanging his head. "Please! There's no one around to see you! It's the only way!" she pleaded anxiously. _Please… You can do it! I know you can! Just try… Show your courage and try…_ Uncertainty crossed his face, but then determination overcame it. He stepped back, and after a few moments, all of the rubble on top of the old man was pushed far back into the mine. "Haru, you did it!" Katara cried happily. She looked deep into his handsome face, feeling her heart ready to burst at his show of courage. That settled it. She liked him.

"It was so _brave_ of Haru to use his earthbending to help that old man," Katara sighed to Aang and Sokka later that night. "You must have _REALLY_ inspired him," Aang told her admiringly. "I guess so," she replied happily. "Everyone should get some sleep. We're leaving at dawn," snapped Sokka, sounding annoyed. "Dawn?" cried Katara. "Can't we sleep _in_ for once?" _And can't I hang out with a boy my age? For ONCE?... _"Absolutely _not_! This village is crawling with Fire Nation troops! If they discover you're here, Aang, we'll be eating fireballs for breakfast! Good _night_." "I'd rather eat fireballs than nuts..." Katara threw back mischievously. "Good _NIGHT_!" repeated Sokka grumpily. Aang and Katara giggled. _What a prick... He needs the sleep more than we do! _thought Katara in amusement as she lay her head down. Then, she drifted off to sleep.

The next morning, Katara stretched and got up to fill the group's water vase. She looked around, hoping to see Haru doing his chores, but didn't see him at all. As she picked up the now-full vase to go back in the barn, slightly disappointed, she looked up once more and spotted Haru's mom staring out towards the horizon. She smiled at the woman as she turned, but then she saw the tears streaming down her face. _Wait a minute... I haven't seen... __**HARU**__! _suddenly, she understood, and in her shock, the vase slipped out of her hands and cracked all over the ground. At the moment, though, that wasn't her biggest concern. Haru had been captured, that's why she hadn't seen him doing chores! She just knew it!

She rushed into the barn. "They took him!" she exclaimed to Sokka and Aang. "They took Haru away!" "What?" gasped Aang. "The old man took him and turned him into the Fire Nation! It's all my fault, I forced him into earthbending!" she babbled in a panicked voice. _Oh, what have I done? If I hadn't been such a silly girl, wanting him to prove his courage… _Katara thought in anguish. "Slow down, Katara. When did this happen?" asked Sokka, grabbing her hand comfortingly. "Haru's mother said they came for him at midnight." "Then it's too late to track him. He's long gone," Sokka told her with finality. "We don't need to track him. The Fire Nation is going to take me right to Haru." _Because I have a plan... _"And... why would they do that?" asked Aang skeptically. "Because they're going to arrest me for earthbending." She knew the determination showed in her voice as well as on her face. This whole mess was her fault. She was_ going _to get Haru out of it.

The trick went as planned, and soon Katara was being shipped off to the coal rig. After the warden's speech, Katara and the other prisoners were bustled into the main part of the rig, and as soon as the doors closed, she heard someone say, "Katara?" She turned quickly, and relief and joy swept through her. "Haru!" she cried, and hugged him tightly. "What are you doing here?" he asked. She looked down sheepishly. "It's my fault you were captured... I came to rescue you," she said softly. "So... you got yourself arrested?" he asked with a hint of reprimand. She felt a twinge of annoyance. "It was the only way to find you," she explained. "You got guts, Katara I'll give you that," he said in amusement.

Katara finally inspired the earthbenders to fight, and after they won, she started to leave, before Haru stopped her. "I wanted to thank you for saving me. For saving us." "All it took was a little coal," she giggled in embarrassment. "It wasn't the coal Katara. It was _you_." Katara felt her cheeks growing pink, though for some reason, it didn't seem to be because of the fact that _Haru_ had said it... but instead, _what_ had been said. "Thank you for helping me find my courage, Katara of the Water Tribe," Haru's father told her. "My family, and everyone here, owes you much." "So... I guess you're going home now," she stated, smiling. Strangely, she didn't feel too horrible that she wouldn't be seeing Haru anymore. _I guess... it was just a little infatuation? _she reflected. _My first "crush", as they call it... Hmm. Perhaps… Perhaps I just liked him because of the similarities between us regarding our parents. I didn't really know him that well other than that. But, now he has his dad back, and soon his mom, and... I just don't feel the same as I did. Odd. But, oh well, I guess. Maybe... it's better this way. _"Yes," the old man responded. "To take back my village. To take back all of our villages!" he cried to the crowd of now-free earthbenders. In response, they cheered. "The Fire Nation will regret the day they set foot on our land!" "Come with us," Haru pleaded quietly to her. Katara instantly knew that the feelings between the two of them had been mutual, after all. However, this still didn't bring back her infatuation, nor weaken her resolve. "I can't," she responded. "Your mission is to take back your home. Ours is to get Aang to the North Pole." "...That's him, isn't it? The Avatar?" Haru asked. When she didn't answer, he continued, slightly defeatedly, "Katara, thank you for bringing my father back to me. I never thought I'd see him again. I only wish there was some way..." "I know," Katara said, suddenly sad again. In instinct, she reached up to her neck to grab onto the necklace. Nothing was there. "My mother's necklace!" she said in a panic. "It's gone!" She felt her stomach drop. _No... Please, no..._

Zuko was called to a coal rig for earthbending prisoners in the middle of the ocean, because what remained of the guard was sure that the Avatar had been there. As he walked along the deck, something blue and shiny caught his eye. Bending over to see what it was, he recognized the Water Tribe peasant girl's necklace from the first time he had seen her. _How did I remember something so insignificant? _he wondered. _Who cares?_ another voice in the back of his head said. _You know the girl was here, and therefore, that means the Avatar was also here._ Clutching the necklace in his hand, deciding against simply dropping it into the water in case it somehow became of help later on, he stared out onto the horizon. He was going to catch them.

**Please review! :)**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Oh my gosh, everyone! I am SO sorry for not uploading this quicker! I've actually been finished with it for like a month, but I've been so busy lately... Grr. Also, I know it's kinda a slow start, but bear with me. Reviews will help me make this fic more to your liking :) So don't hesitate to click that review button! I hope ya stick with me.**

**Oh, and I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender. Which I s'pose is good, but... Well I wouldn't mind owning Zuko ;D ! And I would've definitely changed the ending... Anyway. Onwards.**

******EDIT 12/17/12**** Hey, guys! I'm glad I'm not a mother yet, because if this was my baby, I'd be considered a neglectful parent. I'm going through the chapters that are thus far published, and I think now that I have high school (mostly) under control, now that I'm almost done with it, I'll actually try to update this story on a regular basis. I haven't given up yet! :)**

Zuko sighed in annoyance and stood with his arms crossed as he waited for his Uncle in the market place, his customary scowl glued on his face. Finally, Uncle Iroh walked over to him. Empty-handed, Zuko noticed. "I've checked all the shops on this pier. Not a lotus tile in the entire market place!" his Uncle explained sadly. "It's good to know this trip was a complete waste of time for _EVERYONE_!" shouted Zuko. "Quite the contrary," Iroh argued happily. "I always say the only thing better than finding something you are looking for is finding something you _weren't _looking for at a GREAT BARGAIN!" His Uncle gestured, and loads upon loads of random items were carried past them to the ship. "You bought a tsungi horn?" Zuko asked as a man carried the shining thing past. Memories of trying to play the thing flew through Zuko's mind, and he repressed a shudder. The sounds that came out of the instrument when _he _blew into it definitely didn't qualify as _music_…. "For music night on the ship!" his Uncle replied as if this were the most obvious thing in the world. _Don't even comment, _Zuko told himself. "Now, if we only had some woodwinds..." Iroh said, walking in another direction. Zuko had no choice but to follow, but whether or not he wanted to consciously admit it, he had great affection for his Uncle. He was Zuko's only father figure. And so, Zuko would have followed him anywhere. "This place looks promising!" Iroh said excitedly, pointing at what looked like a pirate ship. Sure enough, as soon as they walked in, Zuko saw pirates debating with customers. He rolled his eyes and strolled over to where his Uncle now stood. "Ooooh, that is handsome!" Iroh commented, smiling down at an ugly monkey-like stone figure with red jewels around its neck and in place of its eyes. Zuko personally thought it would look much more "handsome" smashed to bits and burned. "Wouldn't it look magnificent in the galley?" Iroh continued, reaching down for it. "We lost the Water Tribe girl, and the little bald monk she was traveling with," Zuko overheard one of the pirates saying. His breath caught. Trying not to get his hopes up too high, he spoke up. "This monk, did he have an arrow on his head?" he asked the pirate, his heart racing.

Katara felt that she had been right to take the waterbending scroll, no matter what Sokka thought. She unrolled it and lay it down, examining it with awe. _Look at this!_ she thought excitedly. _It's diagramed perfectly! I might actually be able to learn some more skills! _"I just wanna try this one move first, and then it's all yours," she told Aang, pointing at a picture of the "Single Water Whip" method. "Here." She handed the scroll to Aang. "Hold it open for me." She stepped back a few paces so that she would have room to move. "The Single Water Whip... Looks do-able," she said with confidence. She took a deep breath and moved fluidly, becoming one with the water she was bending. She sometimes thought of waterbending like snake-charming- you had to move loosely and fluidly in order for the subject to mimic your moves and bend to your will. Still confident, she snapped her arms back in the final whip-like motion... Sending the water whipping right into her forehead. "Ow!" she cried, rubbing the whip mark. She heard Sokka laugh. "What's so funny?" she asked angrily. "I'm sorry, but you deserved that! You've been duped!" he told Aang. "She's only interested in teaching herself." _Oh, shut up, Sokka! _she thought grumpily. _I wasn't consciously trying to keep it only to myself; I just want to learn something new. Just for _ME, _for once..._ "Aang will get his turn once I figure out the water whip!" she argued. Trying once again, she did the motions, but in her anger, she didn't move her arms fluidly enough. Momo shrieked as the water whipped his butt. "Ugh! Why can't I get this stupid move?" She felt angry tears beginning to well up behind her eyes, but quickly blinked them away. _You aren't going to cry over something as trivial as this. Get ahold of yourself, Katara. _"You'll get it," replied Aang encouragingly, setting down the scroll. She glared at him in reply. _Easy for _YOU _to say._ "You just gotta shift your weight through the stances," he explained pleasantly, as he did the Single Water Whip move perfectly. She noticed his beautiful fluidity with blazing envy. "There! See, the key to bending is-" "WILL YOU _PLEASE _SHUT YOUR AIR HOLE? BELIEVE IT OR NOT, YOUR 'INFINITE WISDOM' GETS A LITTLE OLD SOMETIMES! WHY DON'T WE JUST THROW THE SCROLL AWAY, SINCE YOU'RE _SO_ NATURALLY GIFTED?" Katara yelled, her last nerve having been trampled on. Panting, she looked over to where Sokka was leaning against a boulder. He glared at her disapprovingly. "What?" she snapped at him. She looked back at Aang and saw to her horror that his eyes were glossy. He was about to cry. "Oh my gosh, Aang," she said, her anger dissipating like steam. "I am _so_ sorry. I don't know what came over me!" Aang was just a little boy (perhaps not age-wise, but physically and mentally, he still was). Having been one of the oldest girls in her tribe, Katara had unconsciously adopted and integrated into her personality a very motherly role at a very young age, almost becoming the mother she had always wanted, but had been deprived of too early on. Yes, Gran-gran was a fantastic grandmother, and Katara wouldn't have changed a thing about how Gran-gran had raised her and Sokka, but... She still wasn't Katara's mother. Aang reminded Katara a lot of the little children in her tribe that she had taken care of for years, and so of course, she had taken to feeling very protective of him. She couldn't stand to see him upset or hurt; it caused her heart to ache terribly. "But you know what? It won't happen again," she said soothingly. She picked up the scroll and rolled it up, handing it to Aang. "Here. This is yours. I don't wanna have anything to do with it anymore." "It's ok, Katara," replied Aang quietly. "What about Momo?" asked Sokka suddenly. "He's the real victim here!" Katara looked at Momo, who was still rubbing his back end. "I'm sorry, Momo," she apologized, stroking Momo's head. "Aaaand, what about _me_?" said Sokka. "There was that time you-" "No more apologies!" Katara snapped at him, and walked over to the traveling pack so she could begin cooking dinner. Sokka was _really _lucky he was her brother sometimes.

That night, Katara lay in her sleeping bag, but she just couldn't get to sleep. She found herself thinking of Prince Zuko, and although (and perhaps in part because) he was an enemy, she began trying to analyze him and his actions as she often did with most people whose personalities intrigued her when she was bored. There was more to him underneath his "holier-than-thou" attitude, she could just instinctively sense it. She didn't know how she knew, but something, some sixth sense, or some spirit guardian whispering into her ear, _something_ told her that her assumption was correct. She just didn't know _what _that secret was. _His face... It's just so... Uncute! _she thought to herself. _Not necessarily ugly. Just... Uncute. And not because of that scar, either. Too severe... And a hint of sorrow, maybe?... He's just always so... Angry. His face is always crumpled up in a scowl! I wonder what his face would look like without all the resentment and bitterness... If he was just happy, for once. Something happened to him to make him so cold, I just know it. Being born into a warlike nation doesn't automatically make someone that fierce and angry. If only I could figure out what... But that's silly, Katara. We could never be friends. He's trying to capture Aang, for crying out loud! He's the enemy. Therefore, you're never going to find out, and dwelling on it too much is only going to frustrate you. _She sighed and shook her head. She had to stop worrying about silly irrelevant things like Zuko and his anger issues, and what his golden eyes might look like if they weren't always harshened and edged with discontentment. Her eyes widened as she suddenly remembered the water scroll. _I don't know... I told Aang I wouldn't, _she thought. _But Aang's asleep... _a sneaky little voice in the back of her head said. Feeling guilty, but still taking the opportunity, she pushed herself to her feet and slid out of her sleeping bag. She looked around for the water scroll and spotted it in the bag. Quietly, she leaned down and pulled it out. Then, she slowly backed away, tiptoeing, and when she turned around, she nearly screamed as she came face to face with a pair of huge green eyes. _Moon Spirit, Momo! You nearly gave me a heart attack!_ she thought, her heart still pounding violently. Momo cooed loudly. "Shh! Momo! Go back to sleep!" she whispered to the lemur. Feeling scolded, Momo's ears pulled back. Katara began tiptoeing away when Momo cooed again, his ears popping back up excitedly. "Shh!" She told him again, and continued on her way, causing Momo to whimper and pull his ears back down. She arrived at the bank that she and Aang had practiced at earlier within minutes, and she unrolled the scroll and placed it on a tree stump. Then, she got to work. She tried to do the move several times, each to no avail. She finally gave up and let the water go with a growl. "SHOOT! Come _ON_, water! Work with me here!" she yelled in frustration. Images of Aang doing the move perfectly came back to her, causing her to be more irritated. She tried, yet again. "Ok... What if I just- _OW_!" she cried out, having whipped herself in the face. "Stupid scroll!" She took a deep, calming breath. "Okay, Katara. Shift your weight through the stances..." _Like Aang told you, _she thought to herself. Sadly, this did not put her in a better mood. She hadn't even gotten halfway through the move when the water simply dropped back into the river. "Ugh!" she groaned, and placed her face in her hand. She took another deep breath, but before she could try again, she heard a strange metallic clank. Her heart thumping, she silently peered through the bushes to see where the sound was coming from and gasped. A Fire Nation jet engine boat sat at the shore! Scared, she began to run, but collided with a huge pirate. As she turned to run the other way, the pirate grabbed her shoulders. "_NO!_" she cried in a panic. "Let go of me!" Without thinking about what she was doing, her arms moved in a graceful fluid motion, and she heard a loud, satisfying *SMACK!* She realized she had just mastered the Single Water Whip move, but there was no time to celebrate. She began running forward... Right into Prince Zuko. Before she could really process what was happening, he grabbed both her wrists and leaned forward. "_I'LL _save you from the pirates." His hardened golden eyes gleamed in the moonlight, only inches from her own. For a fraction of a second, Katara almost didn't know if her heart was beating hard because of fear or... something else.

"_OW_! Stupid scroll!" Zuko perked up when he heard that. He knew that voice. It was the voice of that Water Tribe peasant girl. And it was coming right from behind the nearby bushes on the shore. _She's not the Avatar, but... I suppose she'll do for now. She'll definitely bring the Avatar to me, if nothing else. _He turned to the pirate captain next to him and nodded. The captain steered the boat to shore and cut the engines. Then, the occupants of the tiny boat climbed to shore, causing the boat to creak and clank loudly. Zuko winced at the noise and stealthily hurried around the bushes. One of the larger pirates had grabbed hold of the girl. Unluckily for him, though, he hadn't grabbed the girl's arms, and Zuko watched with slight amusement as the girl used what was most likely a new technique from the scroll she had stolen. The water whipped the pirate in the face. Zuko reflexively flinched, then thought to himself, _I have to admit... That was pretty impressive... _Immediately, the pirate let go of the girl, clutching his face in pain, and she ran right into Zuko. He quickly grabbed her wrists. Leaning forward so that he was inches away from her face, he told her sarcastically, "_I'LL _save you from the pirates." For a millisecond, all he could focus on was her huge blue eyes, still the color of the ocean, even at this time of night. _They're so unnaturally large, _flitted the annoyed thought across his brain. Then he registered the look on her face. He didn't quite know what he would call the expression... He supposed it must be fear. That would be the only logical answer.

Katara was dragged over to a tree and tied to it. Prince Zuko, a kindly looking old man, a group of Fire Warriors, and the pirates whom she had stolen the scroll from surrounded her. _Oh, Katara, what did you get yourself into?... _"Where is the Avatar?" asked Zuko. Katara chose to ignore him. "Tell me where he is, and I won't hurt you or your brother." "Go jump in the river!" she yelled in response. What was that about one not necessarily being cold and cruel just because of where they had been born?... She glared at Zuko, wishing that she could icebend spears into his stupid head with her eyes. He looked down, seemingly lost in thought. Then suddenly, as he looked back up, she saw something she thought she would never see: his face softened. His eyes lost their harshness, and she simply saw a broken, tired boy in front of her. "Try to understand," he said quietly, walking towards her and around the tree she was tied to, "I need to capture him to restore something I've lost. My honor." _His honor?..._ Zuko looked down again. When he looked back up, his usual hard expression was back. Katara looked away angrily. _You have a problem of seeing what you want to see, Katara. Unfortunately, he was trying to manipulate you. Not truly open up to you._ "Perhaps in exchange, I can restore something _you've _lost..." She could hear the victorious smile in his voice without having to see his face. He took something out of his pocket and put it in front of her. She gasped. "My mother's necklace!" she said in surprise._ Please give it back_, she thought desperately._ Please… It's all I have left... _He began walking back to his previous spot, taunting her by flailing the necklace in her face as he walked past her. "How did you get that?" she asked, her anger swiftly coming back to her.

"I didn't _steal_ it, if that's what you're wondering," he snapped. Everyone always assumed he did dishonorable things! He was getting sick of it! _Everyone except Uncle_, he thought. He quickly calmed down. "Tell me where he is." "No!" she said firmly. "Enough of this necklace garbage!"growled the pirate captain. "You promised a scroll!" Zuko dug into his side pocket again in irritation. "I wonder how much money this is worth," he said in a voice filled with fake quizzical politeness as he lit a fire under the scroll. There was a great gasp from the whole group. "_NO_!" the pirate captain yelled. "A _lot_, apparently," said Zuko smugly. Sometimes, the only way to get cooperation was to passively threaten. Not Zuko's favorite method, but it certainly did the job. "Now, you help me find what I want, you get this back, and everyone goes home happy. Search the woods for the boy and meet back here." "Fine," growled the pirate captain.

As the search parties left, Katara groaned and put her head against the tree. _I am so sorry, Aang_, she thought sadly. _I knew I shouldn't have snuck away with that stupid scroll…_

In the morning, Aang and Sokka were captured. A great fight ensued between the pirates and Fire Nation warriors when Sokka was finally able to turn the pirates on the warriors. The trio escaped on the pirates' boat, and when Zuko's boat (occupied by pirates) crashed into the boat the three were on, they fell down a waterfall. Aang, thankfully, was able to call Appa in time with the sky bison whistle he had bought earlier, and they flew away safely. This finally gave Katara the first stress-free time to think on things she'd had in several days. _His_ _face... It became soft when he talked about "losing his honor"... Even if it was manipulation, and only for just a few moments. Perhaps I _was_ right after all: there really is something causing all his anger and hurt. _She sighed. _And to tell the truth... He's... Actually kinda _cute_ when he's not angry and bitter... And his eyes... I wonder... Is his "lost honor" really what all of this is about?... _she thought. Then, she mentally slapped herself. _Katara! Get a grip on yourself! Not only is he the enemy, but he just tried to capture Aang. _Again_. And now he has your mother's necklace! _She sighed. Why did things have to be so difficult?

**Again, don't forget to review! :)**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Hey guys :) Thanks for reading! If you haven't yet noticed, I won't be doing**_**EVERY**___**episode. I'm only doing the ones I feel are important towards Zutara :) In any way, whether it be interactions, situations that make them wiser, or anything like that. But don't worry, I am doing them in order! I think as I go along, the chapters will generally get longer, so no worries there. As you can see, I have been trying to add more thoughts, "expressions", and things of that nature, so as not to completely bore you (I hope...) I'm actually extremely proud of myself for coming up with the first scene of this chapter (*Gasp***_**I**_**came up with a scene? NO WAY! ;D) But I swear, if you keep reading, It'll get better! I haven't written in quite awhile, so I just have to get warmed up :D . Any critiques you have, don't hesitate to review! Now, enough with my rambling. Onto the story!**

**Oh, and I guess I should also put a disclaimer, so here it is:**DISCLAIMER!: **I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender :) Sadly, or I would've changed the ending.**

After 3 days of almost non-stop flying, Katara, Sokka, and Aang landed in a clearing of a large forest and set up camp. "Well... I think it's about time for dinner, and we don't have any food supplies left. I guess I'll go scavenge for food and see what I find. Who knows? I might get lucky!" said Sokka after all the sleeping bags were laid out, and he made to get up. "Uh, I think _I'LL_find the food this time..." intervened Katara, pushing him back down. "We wouldn't want nuts for dinner. Or rather, rocks that you think are nuts." She heard Aang giggle at this, and Sokka's face turned pink. "Hey! It's not my fault everything on the ground was brown..." he responded grumpily. "Well, in that case, I will _definitely_ be finding dinner tonight, if you pick up everything brown that you find on the floor..." She left Sokka scowling and Aang snickering, and began walking through the dense trees, looking for anything edible. After awhile, she found several small fruits that looked like coconuts, and a handful of edible mushrooms. Deciding this was good enough for the night, she stuffed her finds in a bag. _While I'm here, I might as well draw water out of the soil. It's damp enough, and while the water might not be terribly clean, at least it'll be a source of water to keep with me in case I need to waterbend before we get to another lake or river._ So, she took out a water pouch and extracted enough water from the damp soil to fill it up. Then, she headed back to the makeshift camp. Sokka had already started a fire, so they all stuck the mushrooms on sticks and roasted them, and broke open the fruits and drank the fruit milk inside. Katara was nice enough to give the second half of her fruit to Momo, who eagerly lapped up the milk. She was glad Appa was mainly an herbivore, to the truest sense of the word. He was happy simply eating dead leaves and grass off the ground. "How far do you think we are from the Northern Tribe?" Katara finally asked. "Mmmm... I'm really not sure," said Aang uncertainly. "But if we keep traveling, I'm sure we'll get there soon!" Katara smiled at Aang's optimism. For 12 years old (_112,_ she mentally reminded herself), he sure had the innocence and happy outlook on life of a much younger child. Maybe that's why she was already so attached to him. He was so sweet! She gave him a one-armed hug, then said with a yawn, "I'm tired. I think I'm going to sleep, guys. See ya tomorrow! Don't stay up too late..." "Thanks, mom!" said Sokka. She rolled her eyes. Crawling into her sleeping bag, she took a deep breath. She listened to the two boys chatter about random things. Sometimes this life could be so boring and tiring. _I wish I had someone to talk to. To truly talk to, about serious and personal things. Someone who would understand and empathize with me. And care. And someone who would actually_WANT_to talk about these things with me._She sighed quietly. _But I can't really talk to Sokka or Aang about very deep things. I mean, sure, I can talk to them about what we should do, or where we should go, etcetera. But I can't talk to them about_personal_things. Sokka just makes wise-cracks and bad jokes, and Aang... Well, Aang is too innocent and naive to talk about too many personal things. I don't want to cause him anymore worry or stress than he already has to deal with. But I do love them both to death. I couldn't bear to lose either of them._She sighed again. _But sometimes I'm just so... lonely._

Morning came, and the three got up and drank the remaining fruits' milk for breakfast. Finally, after looking around anxiously for a few minutes, Aang stood up. "Where's Momo?" he asked Katara and Sokka. The two quickly glanced at each other. In truth, she hadn't seen Momo all morning. Then, suddenly a piercing shriek rang through the forest. Katara sighed and got to her feet, following Aang. He finally stopped and looked up, and there at the tops of the trees hung three metal animal traps."Hang on, Momo!" cried Aang, and he spiraled to the top of the trees and undid Momo's cage. Katara and Sokka caught it and gently opened it, and Momo leapt out, finishing what seemed to be a plum. Sokka groaned in annoyance. _Are you really surprised, Sokka?_Katara thought in amusement. _You should know by now that Momo loves anything even remotely fruity..._Aang landed next to Katara, then seemed to rethink his decision. He looked up at the remaining two cages that also held animals, and said defeatedly, "Alright, you too." As Aang spiraled up to one tree to undo another cage, Sokka brought out his boomerang. "This is gonna take forever," he stated. Then, he threw it, cutting the strings that held the cages up in the air, sending them toppling down, and promptly releasing the creatures inside. "...that works..." muttered Aang after a moment. Suddenly, Sokka knelt down next to one of the cages and examined it. "These are Fire Nation traps; I can tell by the metalwork. We better pack up camp and get moving." They headed back to camp, and Katara tied up the sleeping bags and handed them to Aang, who was already on top of Appa. "Uh uh!" exclaimed Sokka. "No flying this time!" He quickly snatched back the sleeping bag. "What?" asked Aang, confused. _Yeah, what?_thought Katara. _There's no _WAY_I'm walking, Sokka... Don't try me..._ "Why wouldn't we fly?" continued Aang. "Think about it. Somehow, Prince Zuko and the Fire Nation keep finding us. It's because they spot Appa! He's just too noticeable!" "What?" cried Katara. "Appa's not too noticeable!" "He's a gigantic fluffy monster with an arrow on his head! It's kinda hard to miss him!" said Sokka in irritation, gesturing to Appa. Appa growled in response. "Sokka's just jealous 'cause he doesn't have an arrow," Aang told Appa comfortingly, petting his head. "I know you all wanna fly, but my instincts tell me we should play it safe this time and walk," said Sokka matter-of-factly. "Who made _you_ the boss?" Katara asked him. "I'm _not_ the boss, I'm the leader," Sokka said proudly. "_YOU'RE_ the leader?" laughed Katara in disbelief. "But your voice still cracks!" "I'm the oldest and I'm a warrior, so I'm the leader!" Sokka protested, his voice becoming an unintentional vocal rollercoaster. "If anyone's the leader, it's Aang. I mean, he _is_ the Avatar." She looked at Aang and smiled fondly. "Are you kidding? He's just a goofy kid." You're _calling_him _goofy?..._Katara thought with slight amusement. She looked over at Aang to see his reaction. He was hanging upside down from one of Appa's horns. "He's right!" he agreed pleasantly. _You weren't supposed to agree with him, you dummy!_she thought in frustration. "Why do you boys always think someone has to be the leader?" Katara fumed. "I bet you wouldn't be so bossy if you kissed a girl!" "I've kissed a girl! You just... haven't met her!" Sokka finished lamely. "Who?" she asked, amused. "Gran Gran? I've met Gran Gran." "No, besides Gran Gran!" He sighed. "Look, my instincts tell me we have a better chance of slipping through on foot, and the leader _has_ to trust his instincts!" Katara crossed her arms and scowled at him. "Ok, we'll try it your way, 'Oh Wise Leader'," she said sarcastically in a voice filled with fake admiration. "Who knows? Walking might be fun!" said Aang optimistically. Katara looked at him incredulously. HE _obviously hasn't walked long distances before..._Sokka beamed. "That's the spirit! Now, let's go! C'mon, Appa." And he led the way. Katara sighed angrily, and began walking.

Six long hours later, they still walked in silence. Katara didn't mind an awful lot, as there wasn't much to talk about at the moment, but she was getting extremely tired. "Walking _stinks_!" Aang finally complained, breaking the silence. "How do people go _anywhere_ without a flying bison?" Katara mentally snorted. _**Now**__you see why I didn't wanna walk?..._ "Well, I don't know, Aang. Why don't you ask Sokka's instincts?" she replied smartly. "They seem to know _everything_!" "Ha-ha. Very funny." "I'm tired of carrying this pack," sighed Aang, his tiredness showing in his voice. "You know who you should ask to carry it for awhile? Sokka's instincts!" continued Katara, looking quickly at Sokka to see his reaction. "That's a GREAT idea!" shouted Aang, catching on. "Hey, Sokka's instincts? Would you mind-" "Ok, Ok! I get it! Look, guys, I'm tired too. But the important thing," Sokka began, parting two bushes," is that we're safe from the Fire... Nation..." Katara looked up. They were now standing in a Fire Nation camp full of soldiers. They all stood there in shock, looking at each other, 'till Sokka yelled, "_**RUN!**_" Katara quickly grabbed out her small water vase, and put out Sokka's shirt after one of the firebending soldiers sent a flame at him, and his shirt caught fire. Soon, the Fire Nation camp had them cornered. Then, Sokka stood in front of Aang and Katara, shielding them with his body. "If you let us pass, we promise not to hurt you!" he said loudly in what he obviously thought was an intimidating voice. Katara nearly put her face in her hands. "What are you doing?" she whispered puzzledly. "Bluffing," Sokka squeaked back. All the soldiers now had little smiles on their faces as they slowly advanced on the trio. "_You_ promise not to hurt _us_?" asked a soldier in amusement. Suddenly, the soldier just fell over. "Nice work, Sokka!" said Aang cheerfully. "How'd ya do that?" "Uh... Instinct?..." Sokka replied back in confusion. Katara rolled her eyes and quickly looked around, before spotting someone in one of the trees behind the soldiers. A boy. "Look!" she cried excitedly, pointing at him. He suddenly took out two hooked weapons, jumping to the ground, and landed on two soldiers. Katara noticed that he had a piece of wheat hanging out the side of his mouth. He quickly flipped two more soldiers over so that they landed on the first one. "Down you go," he stated cockily. Katara felt her face light up in wonder. Suddenly, more kids jumped down from the trees, and quickly overcame the Fire Nation soldiers. Sokka began running at a soldier with his boomerang out, letting out his war cry (_Screech, really,_Katara thought) , before the soldier was suddenly kicked away by the mysterious boy. "Hey! He was _mine_!" Sokka pouted. "Gotta be quicker next time," the boy replied with a grin, before running off to finish the fight. Katara grinned again. _Wow! He's really...__**Hot**__!..._thought Katara, giggling internally. She watched as he and the other kids finished off the fight, before he ran unashamedly up to her. "Hey," he said, looking down at her. She gaped for a moment before she replied, "Hi..." He looked back towards the camp, and Katara followed his gaze. The group of kids stood there triumphantly, with not a standing soldier in sight. She gazed at him in admiration. Then, Aang ran up. "You just took out an army almost single handed!" he cried in amazement. "Army? There were only like twenty guys!" Sokka cried in exasperation. Katara barely listened. The boy walked forward, then turned around. "My name is Jet, and these are my freedom fighters," he said, tilting his head to one side and giving a cocky, cute little sideways grin. Then, he pointed to each kid in turn. "Sneers, Longshot, Smellerbee, The Duke, and Pipsqueak." Aang walked forward and giggled. "Pipsqueak. That's a funny name!" The little kid just stared at him, while the very tall, very buff, much older kid leaned down. "You think my name is funny?" he asked in a very dangerous voice. "It's hilarious!" Aang said, unphased. Suddenly, Pipsqueak and Aang began laughing together. Katara sighed happily. This little group wasn't too bad! Especially that Jet guy... She looked around and finally spotted him leaning against a tree in the shadows. Slowly, she headed over to him. "Um... Thanks for saving us, Jet," she thanked him timidly. "We're lucky you were there." She hoped to the Spirits that her burning cheeks weren't that noticeable. "I should be thanking _you_," he replied. She looked at him, confused. "We were waiting to ambush those soldiers all morning. We just needed the right distraction. And then you guys stumbled in!" _Is that all I am in your eyes?_ she thought sadly. _A_distraction_?_ "We were relying on _instinct_," she said, still irritated at Sokka. "You'll get yourself killed doing that," he replied coolly. She laughed."Yeah. Tell that to my _brother_. He doesn't seem to ever believe me." Jet smiled. "Well, maybe I can have a talk with him." "That would be great," she replied with a smile. "Hey, Jet! These barrels are filled with blasting gel," The Duke called. "That's a great score," Jet called back with his sideways grin. "And these boxes are filled with a jelly candy!" added Pipsqueak. "Also good. Let's not get those mixed up," he said. "We'll take the stuff back to the hideout," said The Duke, loading stuff onto a wagon. "You guys have a hideout?" Aang asked, obviously impressed. "You wanna see it?" Jet asked. "_YES_, we wanna see it!" Katara butted in, almost before Jet was done speaking, a big grin on her face. Jet raised his eyebrows at her in amusement, and she thought she was gonna melt.

The group finally made its way to a large tree, where several large ropes were hanging down. "We're here," Jet said proudly. "Where? There's nothing here," Sokka snapped. "Hold this," Jet told him, handing him a rope. "Why? What's this d- WHAAAA!" Sokka cried, as he was jerked up gingerly and sent flying into some branches. "Aang?" Jet said, offering Aang another rope. "I'll... get up on my own," he said politely, and flew to the top of the tree. Then, Jet turned to Katara. "Grab hold of me, Katara," he said sweetly, opening his arm wide. She felt her heart skip a beat. She tentatively grabbed his hand, and he twirled her to his chest, as if they were dancing. She felt her cheeks redden. As they were pulled upwards, Katara felt as if they were flying, only the two of them, in a magical fairy tale. She finally let herself smile, and looked around happily. Then, she looked over at Jet and sighed with longing. As quickly as the upwards journey began, it ended, and before Katara knew it, they were standing on a great open wooden patio at the top of a large tree. "Nice place ya got!" Aang called as he swung by. Katara barely heard him in her daze. She looked about and saw tents everywhere among the trees. It really was like she had landed in a fairytale. "It's beautiful up here!" she exclaimed. "It's beautiful... and more important, the Fire Nation can't find us," agreed Jet. "They would _love_to find you, wouldn't they, Jet?" smirked Smellerbee, landing behind Katara. "It's _not_gonna happen, Smellerbee," he replied confidently. "Why does the Fire Nation wanna find you?" asked Katara curiously. "I guess you could say I've been causing them a little trouble. See, they took over a nearby Earth Kingdom town a few years back." "We've been ambushing their troops, cutting off their supply lines, and doin' anything we can to mess with 'em," continued Pipsqueak. "One day, we'll drive the Fire Nation out of here for good, and free that town." "That's so brave," Katara murmured, blushing again and looking away. "Yeah, nothing's braver than a guy in a tree house," Sokka interjected, and she glared at him. He always knew how to ruin moments. "Don't pay any attention to my brother." "No problem," replied Jet. "He probably had a rough day." _And he takes things in stride!_ Katara thought happily. _What's_not _to like about this guy?_"So, you all live here?" she asked. "That's right. Longshot over there's town got burned down by the Fire Nation. And we found The Duke trying to steal our food. I don't think he ever really had a home," Jet added thoughtfully. "What about... you?" Katara asked softly. Suddenly, he stopped. "The Fire Nation killed my parents. I was only 8 years old. That day changed me forever." Katara looked down. "Sokka and I lost our mother to the Fire Nation," she replied. _So I know how you feel,_ she added mentally. She distantly noticed everyone else had walked somewhere else. "I'm so sorry, Katara," he told her. She said nothing, afraid her voice would crack if she spoke. They stood there on the bridge for a few moments, before Jet quietly came up and wrapped his arms around her. She didn't comment, finding slight comfort in his arms, and they stared off into the sunset together. Ever so slowly, Jet placed a finger under her chin, leaned down, and kissed her softly. She shyly kissed him back. Her heart raced faster, and when the kiss was over, she sighed with hopefulness. Had she finally found the one person she would be able to talk to about personal things? The person who would truly care and empathize with her?

That night at dinner, Jet gave a rousing speech before he settled down next to Katara. "Hey, Jet!" she said cheerfully. "Nice speech." "Thanks," he responded. "By the way, I was really impressed with you and Aang! That was some great bending I saw out there today." "Well, he's great. He's the Avatar," she clarified. Then she looked down, her face burning. "_**I **_could use some more training..." Ever since that kiss, she had been feeling even shyer around Jet. "Avatar, huh? _Very_ nice..." he grinned mischievously. Katara suddenly felt a bit hurt that he hadn't commented on _her_bending anymore, but she hid it, and simply smiled at him. "Thanks, Jet!" Aang said happily. _And he's so sweet to Aang, too..._she added to her mental list. "So, I might know a way you and Aang can help in our struggle," Jet continued gingerly. "Unfortunately, we have to leave tonight," Sokka sniffed, standing up and brushing off his clothes, and he began to walk away. "Sokka, you're kidding me! I needed you on an important mission tomorrow!" Jet pouted. Sokka stopped dead in his tracks. "What mission?" Jet just smiled in response. "Well, if you stay 'till tomorrow, you just might find out," he told him innocently.

The next day, after the four boys came back from their mission, Katara walked over to Sokka, who was sitting slumped against a tree. "Hey, Sokka!" she said cheerfully. "Is... Jet back?" "Yeah, he's back." Katara flinched at the harsh tone of his voice. "But _we're_ leaving!" "But I made him this hat!" Katara said sadly, pulling a little red hat from behind her back. "Your boyfriend Jet's a thug," he told her angrily. Her eyes widened in surprise. Then she told him haughtily, "What? No he's not!" In her upset state, she forgot to tell Sokka that Jet was indeed _NOT_ her boyfriend. However much she wished he was. "He's messed up, Katara!" "He's not messed up!" Katara silently thanked Aang for coming to her aid. "He's just got a different way of life. A really _fun_way of life!" "HE BEAT AND ROBBED A HARMLESS OLD MAN!" Sokka shouted. Katara stood in shock for a split second before she said, "I-I wanna hear Jet's side of the story." "Fine," said Sokka. "Fine," said Katara, crossing her arms. She hoped against hope that what Sokka said wasn't true.

When the trio confronted Jet a little while later, he clarified that the old man was actually a Fire Nation assassin, sent to kill him. This instantly cleared it up for Katara, but she noticed that it didn't for Sokka. Jet again persuaded them to stay by telling them that the Fire Nation was planning to burn down the forest. He told her and Aang that they might be able to stop the fire by filling the reservoirs with water, but without the two of them, there was no hope. So they agreed. As she and Aang walked out of the tent, she glanced at the boy's head and sighed. The hat that she had originally made for Jet now sat atop his head. "C'mon, Katara!" he had told her. "Do you really think _Jet_ is gonna wear this? I mean, seriously? Does he look like the type of guy who wears hats? And especially _red_hats? Red would just remind him of the Fire Nation. He _definitely_ wouldn't wear it." "I s'pose you're right," she had sighed sadly, looking at the little hat in her hand. "But it's such a shame to let it go to waste!" Aang had continued. "You could let _me_ have it! I can wear it so you don't have to throw it away!" Katara had sighed again. "I guess that's true. Here you go." Aang then had snatched it from her hand, and she hadn't seen him take it off once since. She knew she should be flattered, but it was getting pretty annoying hearing him tell everyone, "Yeah, my new hat? Katara made it for me." As they walked to Sokka's tent, Katara "tripped" and fell on Aang, causing him to stumble and sending the hat falling to the ground far below. Though Aang's shoulders slumped, Katara felt herself give a sigh of relief, though it did make her feel slightly guilty.

Later that day, Katara confronted Sokka, hurling insults at him, and they got into a fight. It took her awhile to get to sleep when night time came, but eventually, she did.

The next day, she realized the hard way that Sokka had been right about Jet. After Jet explained to Katara that he had to flood the village to make everyone safe, and mentioned that he had thought Sokka would understand, too, he reached for her face and began to caress it gently. The touch she had longed for days ago, she suddenly could not stand. Tears fell down her face. "Where's Sokka?" she asked, panicked. "Katara..." he had simply replied. She closed her eyes in shock and pain for a few moments. Sokka wasn't dead. He wasn't. _Ah, but you also thought Jet wouldn't do something like this,_ a voice in her head said. That spurred her to action. Growling, she hit Jet with a huge ball of water. _I hope it_**HURT**_!_ her internal voice screamed. She watched in dismay as he got up and prevented them from heading to the dam, causing a fight to erupt between Aang and Jet. _The last conversation you ever had with Sokka was a fight. And it turned out he was right all along_. She squeezed her eyes closed and breathed deeply. _Come on, Katara. You can deal with this later. Sokka would want you to make sure no one else gets hurt, so do that!_ When Jet finally landed on the ground again, Katara immediately froze him to a tree, and proceeded to scream at him how sick he was. When she and Aang thought that the whole village had been wiped out, Sokka arrived on Appa and told them that he had been able to persuade the villagers to leave in time. Katara nearly broke down on the spot in relief, but she held herself together. _He's not dead. Now, make sure you don't take him for granted anymore_. As they were about to leave, Jet murmured, "Katara... Please... Help me..." Katara stood there, feeling her eyes begin to tear up. _I_trusted_you. I even_kissed_you. My first kiss ever. I thought... I thought you could grow to be... so much more to me. I thought you were going to end up being the person I've been longing for. The person who would listen and empathize with me, the person who would care. But you weren't. You turned out to be a heartless monster. And you used me. And hurt me. Badly._ Closing her eyes to prevent tears from falling, she responded, "Goodbye, Jet." With that, she leapt onto Appa, and they left Jet, still frozen to the tree. Katara looked back at Jet when they were higher up in the air. Then, she let the tears fall freely.

**Don't forget to review :D !**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Happy New Year :D ! It's 2011 already…. Crazy, man. 2010 went by so fast. *sigh* Well, another chapter as a gift for the New Year! ;D 'Cause school's gonna be starting up again Monday :( So I have no clue when I'll be able to do more chapters. So, enjoy!**

DISCLAIMER: **I do **_**NOT**_** own Avatar: The Last Airbender. I'm just writing my interpretation of the story, and I am **_**NOT**_** planning to make any profit off of this. Psh, yeah, like someone would pay for this. Seriously. ;)**

When Zuko and his crew were caught in a massive storm, Zuko chose to protect his crew rather than chase the Avatar, though he saw the boy literally fly by before his eyes. But he knew his crew was more important, and though he may have hardened himself in his years at sea, he still couldn't bring himself to put people in unnecessary danger when it could be avoided. _This is exactly what brought you dishonor in the first place! _a voice had snarled in his head. But truly, he knew he didn't care. He wasn't giving up trying to capture the Avatar, though. Not yet.

When he heard that Zhao had the Avatar held prisoner, Zuko decided to capture him himself. Going below deck, he began searching through the huge piles of miscellaneous items his Uncle had bought over the years. _There has to be something here I can use... _Finally, he found something. A dark blue demon mask. _I guess sometimes Uncle's shopping sprees can be good, after all,_ he thought to himself. _This mask will not only hide me, but it'll inspire fear in my enemies. Even if only a little bit._ So, he set to work on creating a simple costume that would allow him to sneak into the fortress.

Carefully, Zuko, in the guise of his Blue Spirit, snuck into the room where the Avatar was being held. As he made his way there, he heard Zhao giving a speech. "This is the year Sozin's comet returns to grant us its power!" he distantly heard him shout. The crowd gave a big roar of approval. "This is the year the Fire Nation breaks through the walls of Ba Sing Se and burns the city to the ground!" The crowd again roared. _They're planning to burn Ba Sing Se? _thought Zuko incredulously. _But not even Uncle succeeded in his siege years ago! _He felt his heart give a slight lurch. _And many innocent people will be killed... _He mentally hit himself. _That is none of your concern,_ he warned himself. _Don't forget what caused you to gain this scar. Speaking out against the military's decisions. Just let them go ahead in their plans. It's for the good of the Fire Nation, anyway. _But no matter what he tried to make himself believe, deep in his heart, he knew he would never agree. He continued onto the room the Avatar was in, and easily overcame the four soldiers posted to guard the door. When he cut the bonds off of the Avatar, he only barely stopped himself from letting out a chuckle at the boy's frightened reaction. _So he _IS_ human, after all, _he thought. He began to lead the way out, but stopped when he heard the boy shout, "My frogs! Come back! And stop thawing out!" He quickly grabbed him by the back of the shirt and dragged him away from the freaky looking half-frozen frogs. "_WAIT!_" the boy cried tearfully. "My friends need to suck on those frogs!" Zuko repressed a shudder and didn't even try to comprehend the boy's reasoning. As they quickly made it out of the fortress and began scaling the wall, Zuko wondered why it had been so easy. His luck quickly came to an end, however. Zhao had obviously found out that the Avatar was gone. The alarms began blaring, and Zuko heard a soldier shout "_THERE_! ON THE WALL!" He sighed wistfully, his heart pounding in his chest. No, no. It was never easy. Suddenly, the rope was cut, and he and the Avatar began tumbling downward, before being caught on a pillow of air. _Quick reflexes,_ noted Zuko, both relieved and impressed. He drew his swords and pointed towards the only open doorway he could see, then began running. "THE AVATAR HAS ESCAPED!" Zhao cried. "CLOSE ALL THE GATES _IMMEDIATELY_!" _No! _thought Zuko desperately, but to no avail. The gates instantly began closing. "Stay close to me!" the Avatar told him quickly, running in front of him. Puzzled, Zuko did as he asked, and watched in amazement as the boy sent a gust of wind so strong towards the twenty-or-so soldiers blocking the gate that they flew away as easily as leaves on a breeze. He watched in dismay, however, as more soldiers swarmed to him, and the Avatar barely made it out of one of the gates before it closed. _Now I'm even more doomed,_ he thought as he began uselessly fighting off the soldiers. _Once they find out who I am... I'm done for. _A gust of wind interrupted his thoughts, and all the soldiers around him again flew away. He looked up and saw the Avatar jump down from the wall. _He... came back for me? _The Avatar sent him flying over the wall, and as soon as Zuko landed, he again drew his swords, and fought off even more soldiers as the Avatar struggled to keep them in the air. Soon, however, they landed back inside the walls, and Zhao approached. "Hold your fire!" he instructed the soldiers. "The Avatar must be captured _alive_!" Zuko took his chance and quickly held both swords to the boy's throat. Zhao stared at him with hatred. "Open the gate," he growled out. "Admiral, what're you doing?" a soldier asked. "Let them out. _Now_!" he barked out. Amazed at his luck, Zuko slowly backed away, the swords still pressed against the boy's throat. He found great satisfaction in Zhao's expression of rage. _Now you know how you make _me_ feel, you ass. _Before Zuko could think anymore thoughts, an arrow struck his mask, _hard_, and he heard a deafening *_GONG!* _before he saw black.

"How many times do I have to tell you, Momo?" Katara croaked weakly. "WAH. TER. _WATER_." She tried for what seemed the hundredth time to get the lemur to understand, her patience beginning to slip. "Oh, forget it." She and Sokka were both terribly sick, but Sokka seemed even more so than she did, his sanity not very intact. Though she felt she was burning as if someone had shoved her into the sun itself, she was more worried about her brother. _I won't lose you too,_ she thought with much effort. She wished she had been more adamant with him about not going on the fishing boat into that terrible storm. _Now, if _he_ dies... that'll be two family members that have died because of me._ She felt her eyes burning, but her body was so hot that it could not produce tears. "Aang," she whispered yet again in a cracking voice. "Please... Hurry..."

Zuko opened his eyes. A blurry view slowly came into focus, and he saw he was in a forest. Slowly looking down, he saw the boy sitting huddled up against a tree, looking ready to cry. _He really isn't that old, is he? _Then, it suddenly all came back to him. The fortress. Rescuing the Avatar. Getting... hit by an arrow? _Then how am I here?_ he wondered. _Did he... actually... save me?... _"Y'know what the worst part about being born over a hundred years ago is?" the boy suddenly asked. "I miss all the friends I used to hang out with. Before the war started, I used to always visit my friend, Kuzon. The two of us? We'd get in and out of _**SO**_ much trouble together!" Zuko saw his face light up. Then, the boy turned away. "He was one of the best friends I ever had. And he was from the Fire Nation, just like you." The boy looked back at him. "If we knew each other back then, do you think we could've been friends, too?" Zuko was suddenly annoyed, and he shot a flame at the boy. _How dare he mock me like that? _he thought in anger. He looked up and saw the Avatar looking back down at him from a tree branch, and was surprised at the hurt expression on the boy's face before he flitted away among the trees. _Was he actually... serious then? _he thought in amazement. It took him several minutes of sitting there before it finally dawned on him that he had just let the Avatar go. _I just fought off an army and nearly got captured... Just to let him escape? __**Again**__? _He cursed himself, then sighed. He supposed that he should start heading back to his ship, then. As he trudged through the forest, the boy's words kept repeating over and over in his head. _"... do you think we could've been friends, too?"_

"Here. Suck on this. It'll make you feel better." Katara felt Aang shove something into her mouth, and she did as instructed. She sucked on the cold soothing thing. "Mm! Dish ish pre'y goo!" she heard Sokka exclaim after awhile. She had to agree. And she felt better, too! Suddenly, she felt the thing in her mouth begin to squirm, and opened her mouth in surprise. "Ribbit!" _HOLY BISON TURDS! _she thought in alarm, crying out._ I HAD A __**FROG**__ IN MY MOUTH? _Nearly gagging, she wiped her tongue off to the best of her ability. But she had to admit: she did feel better. _And Sokka's better too,_ she thought, relieved._ Thank you, Aang._

**Alright, I know this is random, but I have a theory that Kuzon is actually Zuko in a past life :) I mean, we know that past lives happen in the Avatar Universe, seeing as how Aang has past lives, and some past life theories (in real life, that is) suggest that in each life, we may be born in different bodies, with maybe slightly different personalities, but our overall role and the people (or souls) we meet will always be the same. For example, according to this theory, say you have a best friend in this life. Well, in a previous life, you probably were either still best friends, or maybe brothers/sisters. Now, with Kuzon, Aang states that they were best friends, and Kuzon was from the Fire Nation. We also know that by the end of the story, Aang and Zuko are best friends. So, tell me what ya think! (I may be incorporating this theory later on in the story.)**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Hey, guys. As I'm sure you've noticed, I'm a High School student, which is why I haven't updated in a God-Awful long time. But, I'm finally out for the summer, so I'll hopefully be able to update frequently now. If you're still reading this, thank you so much :) !**

**Hey, by the way: ****_REVIEW!_**

DISCLAIMER: **Nope, I still don't own Avatar. The genius of Bryke put it into being. Even if they made the mistake of not making Zutara canon, they still created the Avatar Universe! So have some respect for 'em!**

******EDIT 12/17/12**** Hey, guys! I'm glad I'm not a mother yet, because if this was my baby, I'd be considered a neglectful parent. I'm going through the chapters that are thus far published, and I think now that I have high school (mostly) under control, now that I'm almost done with it, I'll actually try to update this story on a regular basis. I haven't given up yet! :)**

After Katara and Sokka were fully recovered, they wasted no time packing everything up and setting off. Katara immediately noticed something was bothering Aang, but no matter how much she asked what it was, he wouldn't tell her, so she finally dropped it. Finally, they landed near a small lake and set up camp. After they were finished, they all sat quietly, deep in their own thoughts. _I wonder what's bothering Aang? I hope it's nothing serious… And I wonder where exactly we are… I hope there're no Fire Nation Soldiers nearb-_"Ahhh!" she yelled in surprise, standing up as she heard a splash in the lake. When she saw that it was just an overexcited fish, she felt silly. Sokka jumped up not long after she did, but not in surprise. He crouched and glared at the fish as it continued jumping around in the water. "Oh, he is _TAUNTING_ us!" growled Sokka in annoyance. _More like giving us heart attacks!..._"You are _SO_ going to be dinner!" Sokka continued, running towards the tent to pick up his fishing pole. He swung it a few times before it fazed him that nothing was happening. "Hey! Where's the fishing line?..." "Oh... I didn't think you would need it Sokka," Aang spoke up sheepishly, holding up a woven necklace. Sokka leaned down, examining it for a moment, then groaned, "Aw, it's all tangled!" "Not tangled, woven!" argued Aang, pushing himself upwards with his airbending and sounding hurt. Then, he turned towards Katara. "I made you a necklace, Katara. I thought, since you lost your other one…" He grinned goofily and held it up for her. _Oh, he's such a sweet kid, _she thought to herself, smiling back and coming forward to grab the necklace. "Thanks, Aang. I love it." Sokka glared at him. "Great, Aang. Maybe instead of saving the world, you can go into the jewelry-making business," he told the airbender sarcastically. "I don't see why I can't do both!" the boy replied. Sokka opened his mouth to make a retort, but then the fish began thrashing about again, and he became preoccupied with trying to capture it. Katara sighed and shook her head, then decided to put on the necklace. "So, how do I look?" she asked jokingly, striking a pose. "You mean, all of you, or just your neck? Heh, I mean-" Aang fumbled, causing Katara to raise an eyebrow, "both look great!" "Smoochie, smoochie! Someone's in _loooove_!" she heard Sokka say as he came above the water, now holding the fish. It smacked him and dove back into the water. _Serves him right, the jerk… _She blushed a little, more in humiliation than anything else. _He's 12, Sokka… Come on…_"I… Well…" started Aang, obviously embarrassed. "Stop teasing him, Sokka," scolded Katara, then continued, "Aang's just a good friend. A sweet little guy! Just like Momo," she finished, kissing Momo on the head. However much she might seem it at times, Katara wasn't stupid. She'd had a hunch that Aang had a tiny crush on her, and how he had just acted had confirmed it. She just wanted to try and make it clear that she didn't feel the same without having to specifically say so. Breaking little kids' hearts wasn't fun. "Thanks," Aang said, looking crestfallen. Katara felt kind of bad. Suddenly, they all heard a roaring, and came across a clearing with a traveler and a platypus-bear.

As they were walking to the village after the platypus-bear incident, Katara was nearly jumping with anticipation. _I can ask the fortuneteller who I'm going to marry!_ she thought excitedly. _She might not be able to give a name, but, well... I've always wanted to know! I wonder, will it be someone from another Water Tribe? An earthbender, perhaps? Or maybe, not a bender at all?.. Well, whoever he is, I hope he's tall! And strong. And handsome! And most of all… I hope he can relate to me. I honestly don't know how I'd be able to survive mentally if he were anything like my brother… But, whatever the case, I'll see soon!_ After a while, they reached the little village near the mountains. "Aunt Wu is expecting you," a calm man suddenly spoke up as they walked through the quiet streets, ushering them into a little building. "Really?" Katara nearly clapped her hands in excitement, but stopped herself in time. _Be mature, and wait. _They walked in, and a little girl around Aang's age with little black braids greeted them. "My name is Meng, and, I'm Aunt Wu's assistant!" Then, a little surprised expression crossed the girl's face as she looked at Aang, and Katara nearly giggled. _"Someone's in_loooove_!" _Sokka's words from earlier rang in her head. She mentally shoved them away. "Well, _hello_ there," Meng said, directly to Aang. He rubbed is nose before saying, "Hello," carelessly in response. Katara wanted to box his ear at his rudeness. Meng, thankfully, didn't seem to notice. "Can I get you some tea, or some of Aunt Wu's special bean curd puffs?" "I'll try a bean curd puff!" Sokka cried excitedly. Katara glared at the wall in front of her. Did boys have _any_ manners at _all_? "Just a second!" Meng said, holding a hand up to Sokka, then leaning down to Aang. "So, what's _your_ name?" "Aang." The little girl looked entranced. "That rhymes with Meng!" Her face lit up. "And you've got some pretty big ears, don't you?" This seemed a pretty odd statement to Katara, but the girl obviously liked it, so… who was she to judge? "I… guess…" mumbled Aang, confused. "Don't be modest, they're _HUGE_!" interjected Sokka mischievously. Katara scowled at Sokka as Aang covered his ears, humiliated. Meng ignored Sokka. "Well, Aang, it's _very_nice to meet you. _Very _nice." She began backing away. "Likewise," commented Aang. "I can't believe we're here in the House of Nonsense," grumbled Sokka after Meng had disappeared from view. "Try to keep an open mind, Sokka," Katara told him, irritated, but not wanting to cause a scene. "There are things in this world that just can't be explained!" She smiled, thinking of the answers that hopefully awaited her within the next few minutes. "Wouldn't it be nice to have some insight into your future?" she continued. "It would be _nice _to have some bean curd puffs!" Katara made to retort, but at that moment, Meng came around the corner with a tray in her hands. Suddenly, a young woman burst out of a door in the wall and cried, "Oh, Meng! Aunt Wu says I'm going to meet my true love! He's going to give me a rare Panda Lily!" Katara sighed. Panda lilies were so beautiful. She was jealous. "That's _so _romantic…" sighed Meng. "I wonder if _my _true love will give _me _a rare flower!" Katara nearly giggled again as she saw Meng pointedly look at Aang across her shoulder. "Good luck with that!" Aang replied. "Is that the big-ear guy who Aunt Wu predicted you would marry?" Katara caught the young woman whispering to Meng, who blushed furiously and pushed the woman away. Katara had to stifle a snicker. Then, as Meng made her way over to Aang, she tripped and fell, and she and Aang caught the tray, staring into each other's eyes for a few moments. Katara thought she might die from the cuteness of it all, when Meng stuttered "E-enjoy your snack!" and practically ran away. Sokka immediately took the tray and began piling bean curd puffs in his mouth. _Why am I surprised?..._"Welcome, young travelers!" Katara heard a voice say, and looked up to see an elderly woman dressed in beautiful clothing. _This must be Aunt Wu!_ "Now, who's next? Don't be shy!" _Me! Me! Oh, please, let it be me…_She was not disappointed when both the boys turned their heads to look at her. "I guess that's me!" Katara said breathlessly, and stood up, following Aunt Wu into a back room. As soon as they stepped foot in the room and Aunt Wu had closed the door, the woman said, "Sit, sit! Be comfy, dear! I can tell you've been traveling for a little while now, right?" Katara gratefully sank into a little chair and nodded. "And you have the face of a bender… Am I also correct with that?" Katara smiled. "Yes. I bend water." "Oooh, a waterbender! Amazing! Well, my dear, you have the potential to be a _very_ great waterbender. In fact, I'm almost certain you _will_ be. You just need to have a little more confidence in yourself and your abilities, and don't let jealousy of others' abilities consume you. Now, let's have a look at your hands, shall we?" She blushed a little and held out her hands. "Your palms are so smooth!" Aunt Wu told her in surprise. "Do you use moisturizer?" "Actually, I have this special seaweed lotion," she told Aunt Wu happily. "I could get you some if you want!" Aunt Wu smiled at her thoughtfully, then began studying her palms, but said nothing, so she decided to change the subject. "So… Anything interesting in my love line?" _Dark hair? Lighter hair? Sweet? Mean? Ugly? Cute? Or maybe, even a name, or a first letter...? _"I feel _great _romance for you!" Katara smiled largely. "The man you're going to marry…" "Tell me more!" Katara pleaded in excitement. Aunt Wu leaned over her hand dramatically, then continued, "I can feel that he's a_very_ powerful bender!" Katara closed her eyes in contentment. _So, I'm going to grow to be a great waterbender, and I _am_ going to marry, and my husband is going to be a very powerful bender himself._ _This could work… _She opened her eyes. "Do you see… Anything else?" _Like, a name? What he looks like? _"Hm…" Aunt Wu leaned over her palm once more. "Well… Love is a very tricky subject to divine, you see. But… I think I see that… This man, your future husband… He won't be the '_obvious'_ choice. Only you can know what that means to you." Katara felt perplexed. _Well, who would be the obvious choice, then?..._ "Alright. Thank you, very much." "It is not a problem, my dear," the elderly woman told her sweetly, then stood up and opened the door for her. After Katara had stepped out, Aunt Wu led her back to the main waiting room, and asked the boys, "Who's next?" Sokka stood up, and sighed dramatically, "Okay, let's get this over with…" "Your future is full of struggle and anguish, most of it, self-inflicted," Aunt Wu told him disdainfully. "But, you didn't read my palms or anything!" "I don't need to. It's written all over your face." Sokka glared at her. "You, then," Aunt Wu pointed at Aang, "come with me." Aang followed her to the back room, and Katara sat down on a little chair. _I hope everything goes okay for the little guy_, she thought, and leaned back to wait._Hmm… Great romance… A very powerful bender… Not the obvious choice… I wonder who it could be… And I hope everything turns out well. For all of us._

As they were waiting for Aunt Wu with the crowd later, Aang stood next to Katara. "Hey, Katara! Don't you think that cloud looks like a flower?" "Shh!" she said, trying to hear Aunt Wu. She was also aware that he had just pushed Meng out of the way, which irritated her to no end. After a few predictions by Aunt Wu, Aang continued, "Since I got you here… Uh, there's something I wanna tell you… I like you! But, more than normal!" Katara kept her grin plastered to her face as she ran off, away from him, pretending not to hear Aang, even though she wanted to scream. _Aang! I don't _like_ you that way! I've tried to make that clear! You're a little boy! And I take care of you, like a little brother, or… Or a son! I really wish you would just stop. It's making me a bit uncomfortable! _She waited her turn to shake Aunt Wu's hand, and tried to push the many things bothering her out of her head.

After the gathering, Katara decided to try and find out more about her future husband, so she went to Aunt Wu's building and knocked on the door. When the woman opened the door, she started, "Hi, Aunt Wu! Sorry to bother you…" "Anytime!" "About this man I'm supposed to marry…" she continued, "Is he going to be handsome? Oh, I hope he's tall!" "Ah… You want another reading." "Yes, please!" Katara grinned, and stepped inside. Aunt Wu sighed and lit the fire. "Sit, dear." Katara sat. "What do you want to know?" "Oh, anything you can tell me!" Aunt Wu sat for a bit, staring at her palms. "Great romance… A very powerful bender… Not the obvious choice… Ah, here. He will definitely have some status in the world… You may or may not know him as of yet… You most likely won't feel for him romantically at first… He may not always be the nicest man in the world, but he will try… He… I think he will naturally have dark hair, but that line right there could also mean he has a growth on his toe… Hmm… He will be tall when he's an adult, if he's not one already…" "Will he be cute?" she asked breathlessly. "Cuteness is in the eye of the beholder, my dear. I'm sure that to you, he will be very cute." "Alright… Anything else?" "It looks like he may be the one to fall for you first." Katara's heart skipped a beat. _So, when I fall for him, he'll already be mine… How romantic! Oh, Katara, you sound so selfish and shallow right now… _"It will be a very passionate relationship… I'm jealous, dear!… Though, it may be very hard to be together at first… That's all I can really tell about the man you're supposed to marry. I'm sorry. Just… remember: trust your heart. Your _heart_ doesn't lie. And don't let these predictions tie you down. He won't be the obvious choice. Just remember that. You can always change your future, sometimes for the better, sometimes not." "Alright, thank you… What about the rest of my life? Children? Grandchildren?..." Aunt Wu sighed again, and studied her hand. "You will travel a lot for a while coming… It seems you will aid that young man… What was his name? Aang?... In the epic battle between the forces of good and evil… If disaster does not strike, and you live through that, because disasters can sometimes occur which cannot be predicted, you will marry and live a long and happy life, with great love for your husband, who will love you back just as deeply, and you will have status, but what exact 'status', I am not sure… You will have 3 children… I don't know the genders or names, so please, don't ask me… Most or all of them will probably be benders, but not necessarily waterbenders, as you are marrying another bender, don't forget… You will have 7 grandchildren from these children… And from your grandchildren, you will have 20 great-grandchildren… You will live to see 2 great-grandchildren born, and then you'll have your third great-grandchild before quietly passing away in your sleep. Is that enough information for you?" "Wow…" breathed Katara, staring at her palm. _So much information written on so tiny a space… _"Thanks, Aunt Wu!" The old woman smiled tiredly at her in response. She stood up and turned to leave, then stopped and said, "Oh, wait! One more thing… How warmly should I dress tomorrow?" "You want me to do a reading for _that_?" the old woman asked her in disbelief, sounding exhausted. This didn't faze Katara. She nodded, grinning hugely.

The next day Katara stood in a huff in front of Aunt Wu's door when Aang and Sokka ran up to her. "Hi, Katara," Aang said weakly. "Can you believe she won't let me in? And after all the business I've given her?" Katara growled. "…But she doesn't even charge," Aang told her. "I know, but… _still_!" "Well, we have other things to worry about!" Sokka exclaimed. "Aunt Wu was wrong about the volcano." "Sokka, you tried to convince me she was wrong before. It's gonna take an awful lot to change my mi-" She was cut off by a loud *_BOOM!* _coming from the direction of the volcano_. But then… My love life… Was that all wrong, too?... _She finally looked up, coming out of her daze, and instantly saw smoke rising from the volcano. "Oh, no…"

As Katara, Sokka, Aang, and the villagers dug a trench to discourse the lava, all Katara could think was, _I'm such a fool. All I was worried about was my future. And now I realize, none of it is real. But then… Why does it still feel real? It still feels right… _Though she was digging, she suddenly heard Aunt Wu's voice plain and clear: _"Trust your heart…" _She sighed deeply. _Maybe, then… Maybe it was real…_

Later, as they watched Aang push away the lava with his airbending, relief flooded through Katara. _The village is safe. No one was harmed. _"Man…" said Sokka. "Sometimes I forget what a powerful bender that kid is." Katara's stomach clenched. "Wait… What'd you just say?" "Nothing. Just that Aang is one powerful bender." _"The man you're going to marry_… _I_ _can feel that he's a _very _powerful bender!" No… No, no, no… Not Aang… Please, no… _"I… suppose he is…" she said quietly, starting to feel slightly troubled. _"Not the obvious choice… You most likely won't feel for him romantically at first… He will definitely have some status in the world…_ _He may be the one to fall for you first…" _But then she remembered, "_Trust your heart. Your _heart_ doesn't lie. And don't let these predictions tie you down. He won't be the obvious choice. Just remember that. You_ _can always change your future, sometimes for the better, sometimes not." Not Aang. I just… know it. My heart knows it. It's not Aang. Aang won't be the one. I love him, but not that way. _They finally found some tall grass to lay in for the night, away from the heat of the lava, and Katara fell into a restless sleep.

In the morning, the trio led everyone back to the village, which, surprisingly, other than the entrance and a few tombstones, was perfectly intact and just how they left it. Katara decided to catch up to Aunt Wu, which was a bit difficult, as the old woman thought she wanted another fortune told. When she finally did, she murmured, "I… just wanted to apologize for being annoying and asking for so many fortunes. I do appreciate it, though. I was just… so excited, I guess." Aunt Wu looked at her for a moment, then her face softened. "It's alright, sweetheart. I understand. When I was a little girl, before I learned the art, I would pester my grandmother to tell me anything she could, just as you did to me. I wanted to know what my future husband would look like, what his name was, where we would live, all of it. I found out, but sadly, I also found out when he would die. It became almost a curse, and when he did die, I felt so… helpless. I thought that there was no way to change his fate, and so, I didn't even try. And that is why I will tell you again: do not let these predictions tie you down. They can always change, or turn out the way you least expected, as was the case of the volcano. It's just the excitement of knowing what lies in store that does it to you. You just need to learn to keep a grip on the present, that's all. We can't reach our futures if we can't live in the present, can we? I forgive you, and I do hope you and your friends will come back and visit soon. I also appreciate you all saving our village." Katara smiled, and gave her a hug. Later, as they were preparing to leave, Aang stepped forward with Aunt Wu's book, and said, "By the way… We kind of… borrowed your book." "So you messed with the clouds, did you?" Aunt Wu asked in a cold voice, snatching the book from Aang. His head drooped. Suddenly, the woman laughed. "_Very_ clever!" "No offense, but I hope this taught everyone a lesson about not relying _too_ much on fortune telling," Sokka told the village. "But Aunt Wu predicted the village _wouldn't_ be destroyed, and it wasn't! She was right, after all!" said a villager optimistically. Katara's heart seemed to lighten and glow. Sokka stepped forward, growling, "I hate you," to the villager, but Katara was able to pull him back. "It's okay, Sokka. Everything's gonna be alright." _Everything. Everything she said_ was _true_. _As was her advice. I need to not worry about everything so much, and live in the present._ As she climbed onto Appa, she called, "Goodbye, everyone! It was so nice to meet you!" She looked at the poor slightly heartbroken girl in front of Appa. "Take care, Meng," she said kindly. The little girl smiled and waved. "Take care!" she called back. As she turned Appa around and they lifted off, Katara heard Meng's voice grumbling, "Floozy…" She sighed. _Believe me, sweetheart, if I could transfer his affections to you, I would do it in a heartbeat._ Then, they were up in the air, flying past the still-cooling mountain.

**Yay, significant chapter! I hope I kept everyone in character for the scenes I wrote that weren't in the show. And seriously, guys. When I say ****review****, I mean it. ****Review.**** It'll urge me to update faster and more frequently. Because without ****reviews****, I feel like no one is interested. So, please: ****_Review._**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Happy Christmas everyone, or any other Holiday you might celebrate, OR, if you don't celebrate a Holiday, happy family time, and especially to those of you (still) reading! :) There is... really no excuse for me not updating this for however long it's been. I'll just say that I'm really sorry, and I ****_hope_**** to start updating again pretty frequently. Also, for Alum-readers: I updated the last six chapters a little bit, so if you'd like, you may want to go back and reread them. I'd also like to post a reminder that, while I get further along into the story, I will be trying to add more detail, but rather, more of my ****_own_**** detail: I won't always be recapping the whole episode(s), only the scenes I find to be important somehow to this overall piece. It is assumed that readers of this fic have already seen ****_ATLA_****, and so I'm simply rewriting some of the scenes so that I might put my own spin on it, i.e., specific thoughts going through Zuko's and Katara's minds, new little scenes, etc. So, I guess you could think of this fic as a sort of companion fan-piece? I mean, it never hurts to re-watch/reference old episodes while reading this fic ;) As always, enjoy!**

**P.S.: I don't claim to own any of the characters, the storyline, or any part of ****_ATLA._**** I'm simply using them for my own entertainment, and not for profit-making purposes! I do claim to be a die-hard Zutarian, though ;D**

**P.P.S: Review, if you please. It would make my day :) A late present from you to me?**

A few mornings later, Katara woke to find the boys nowhere in sight. Figuring they couldn't be too far, she quickly relieved herself, then set out to look for them. Eventually, she came upon them searching feverishly through bushes and brush. "Did someone lose something?" she asked curiously. "No, we found something!" replied Aang excitedly, rummaging through a nearby bush. Before she could ask _what _it was they were looking for, Sokka bent over and picked something up. When he stood back up, Katara saw in amazement that he was holding none other than a spear crafted by her own tribe. "It's burned," he muttered, sounding perplexed. Then, he quickly turned and rubbed the tree parallel to where the spear had been with his hand. "There was a battle!" he said breathlessly. "Water Tribe warriors ambushed a group of firebenders... The firebenders fought back, but the warriors drove them down this hill..." His voice trailed off, and he ran down the hill behind them. Katara followed, with Aang closely behind. They finally reached a beach before stopping. "So...then what happened?" asked Aang. "I dunno," said Sokka, sounding crestfallen. "The trail ends here." _No, that _can't_ be it... I know those were Water Tribe weapons..._ Katara thought frantically. Then, something out of the corner of her eye caught her attention. _A boat!_ Joyously, she pointed and cried, "Wait, look!" "It's one of our boats!" Sokka agreed, and they both ran toward it. "Is this... Dad's boat?..." she asked hopefully. She had never learned to tell the difference in the boats; it just wasn't "her thing". However, Sokka had always had the dream of following in their dad's footsteps and becoming Chief warrior of their tribe when he was older, and so he_had_ to know the difference in boat designs, no matter how minuscule "No," Sokka said, causing her spirits to sink slightly, "but it's from his fleet. Dad was here." They both stared up at it, little smiles playing on their faces. _Perhaps this isn't Dad's boat, but... Maybe if we find the passengers of this thing, we can get closer to finding out what happened to him._

After finally giving into Uncle Iroh's nagging, Zuko sat with the old man in a quiet room. _"You are over-stressed and over-worked, Prince Zuko. A little rest and relaxation will do you some good. And tea. Tea will do you good as well."_ He listened as his Uncle sipped his own tea and smacked his lips appreciatively, before sighing quietly and holding out his own tea cup. "See, Prince Zuko?" his Uncle said, pouring him some tea. "A moment of quiet is good for your mental well-being." Frowning, not wanting to admit that his Uncle might be right, Zuko lifted the cup to his mouth, when suddenly there was a great lurch, and the scalding tea was splashed all over his head and face. _WHY DOES THIS KIND OF THING ALWAYS HAPPEN TO ME?! _Growling, he flicked his now-wet ponytail off his face, slammed his tea cup down, and stomped outside. A dark-haired girl astride an odd-looking animal met his sight. Zuko immediately didn't like her, and not simply because she had just landed on his ship without permission atop that strange beast, but because there was something about her, something he couldn't quite put his finger on... Perhaps because she seemed _too_ perceptive, scarily so... Or perhaps it was the vibe she gave off that she would do _ANYTHING_ to get her job done... He wasn't sure what it was, but he knew he didn't like her. There was also the fact that his Uncle was staring at her with far too much... "interest"... _That_ was just creepy."Get back!" the girl ordered _his_ soldiers. To his annoyance, they backed up. "We're after a stowaway." "There are no stowaways on my ship," Zuko told her angrily. In response, her stupid _thing_ took a chunk out of his ship, tossed it away carelessly, then stuck its head in the makeshift hole and began sniffing around. To his surprise, a filthy man did come running out of the hole, but was quickly zapped by the creature's tongue, at which point he fell to the ground like a stone. "He's paralyzed," said Zuko in astonishment. "Only temporarily," the girl said coolly "The toxins will wear off in about an hour, but by then, he'll be in jail, and I'll have my money." He watched her carelessly toss the fugitive onto the back of her animal. "But how did you find him on my ship?" he asked curiously. "My shirshu can smell a rat a continent away," she replied, patting the ugly beast fondly. With that, she climbed back onto the thing. _So, it's called a shirshu. _"Well, I'm impressed!" he heard his Uncle murmur. He grimaced, and heard the girl whip her shirshu off the ship. "_Very _impressed..." Zuko glared disgustedly at his Uncle, who was dazedly gazing after the girl. He would never understand some of his tastes as long as he lived.

When night fell, Katara lay thinking for a little while. _It's been years since we've seen Dad. If we were to find him anytime in the next week... I would be overjoyed, definitely, but... I don't know how I'd react... I mean, would I start crying? Would I run and hug him? What would be the correct thing to do? And what if these years away have changed him? _She finally drifted off into a restless sleep. However, she was very rudely awoken only a few hours later by Sokka crying, "Bato?!" Not believing her ears when she finally registered what she was hearing, she quickly opened her eyes and sat up. Sure enough, there was Bato, one of her father's best friends. "Bato!" she exclaimed. "Sokka! Katara! It is so good to see you two!" he chuckled, holding his arms open. She and Sokka didn't hesitate to run and hug him. "You've grown, so much!" Finally, they all released their hug. "Where's Dad?" Sokka asked hopefully. "Is he here?" she asked as well. "No, he and the other warriors should be in the Eastern Earth Kingdom by now," he responded. She felt her shoulders droop._ Well... at least you know he didn't die here._ A chilling breeze blew past them all, causing them to shiver. "This is no place for a reunion. Let's get inside," Bato suggested, putting an arm around her and Sokka each. She silently agreed and followed.

"I need you to find someone." Zuko held up the Water Tribe girl's necklace. He had been right after all that it would come in handy. After he had learned that the shirshu tracked people down by smell, he had been thinking deeply, trying to figure out how to use its skill to find the Avatar. Without paying much attention to what he was doing, he had looked down to realize he was rolling the necklace in his fingers. _This necklace!_ he had thought to himself excitedly. _Of course! It must still have some of the girl's scent on it._ And so, here he was, presenting the necklace to the bounty hunter girl ("June", she had finally introduced herself as) and her ugly shirshu. "What happened? Your_girlfriend_ run off on you?" she sneered. He swept the insult aside. "It's not the girl I'm after. It's the bald monk she's traveling with." "Whatever you say," June said sounding unconvinced, a small smirk still on her face. Zuko felt his right cheek burning a little bit in what he was positive was anger, but he was still glad that it was dark enough outside to cover it up. He didn't need more "evidence" for her to make fun of. "If you find them, I'll consider the damage to my ship paid for." "Hah," she snorted condescendingly, climbing back onto her shirshu. "Forget it." "Plus we'll pay your weight in gold!" Uncle Iroh quickly offered. Zuko wasn't totally sure if it was to help him out, or if it was just because he didn't want to see her go. Thankfully, this piqued June's interest. "Make it _your _weight," she murmured, poking Uncle Iroh, "and we got a deal." To Zuko's horror, his Uncle began laughing heartily as if the girl had just told the greatest joke on the planet. "You got it!" He resisted the urge to put his face in his hand. "Get on!" she called behind her, halfway to her beast, and Zuko noticed in surprise that she had snatched the necklace from his grasp, waving it in front of the shirshu. He didn't know why he felt a bit anxious now that it wasn't in his grasp; it wasn't like it was anything important to him. Nevertheless, he worried about it.

Sometime the next day, they stopped in yet _another_ village. "Why are we stopping?" Zuko asked in irritation. He noticed an older woman dressed in elaborate robes, her graying hair done in a loose braid down her back, eyeing him knowingly. Her look made him shiver slightly; he could tell she was very perceptive, _much_ too perceptive, but not in the same way as June. He couldn't quite explain it. The look she was giving him wasn't quite hostile, though. "Because the girl must have spent a lot of time here," June replied, snapping him out of his observations. "We have no _time_ for this!" he growled, and he snatched the necklace out of her grasp, jumping down to wave it in front of the shirshu, then narrowly avoiding its lashing tongue. "Hey, watch it!" he cried in a panic. "Oh look, he likes you," June commented sarcastically as his Uncle laughed. He bit back an angry retort. The old woman who had been watching him before stepped forward and asked his Uncle in a quiet, pleasant voice, "Care to hear your fortune, handsome?" _So she's a fortuneteller... I've heard it's a bunch of phooey anyway._ Zuko still couldn't quite shake the feeling she gave him, though. "At my age, there is only one big surprise left," Uncle Iroh answered back just as pleasantly, "and I'd just as soon leave it a mystery." Zuko saw them smile at each other once more before June whipped her pet again and sent them all hurtling out of the village.

"For Sokka, the Mark of the Wise. The same mark your father earned." Katara beamed for her brother as she watched Bato draw the mark on his forehead. Then he came to her. She could feel her heart pounding in anticipation. "For Katara, the Mark of the Brave. Your courage inspires us." She felt as if she were glowing. Then, it was Aang's turn. "And for Aang, the Mark of the Trusted. You are now an honorary member of the Water Tribe." Katara smiled and went to hug him, but then she heard him say, "I can't." Taken aback, she laughed, "Of course you can!" "No. You can't trust me," Aang murmured, looking guilty beyond belief. _Oh no, Aang... What did you do?..._ "Aang, what are you talking about?" she asked apprehensively. She saw him reach into his robe and pull out a balled-up piece of paper. "A messenger gave this to me for Bato." Hardly daring to believe it, she snatched the paper from his hand and unrolled it. As soon as she realized what it was, she gasped and covered her mouth, feeling her face go pale. "You have to understand, I was afraid you wouldn't-" "THIS IS THE MAP TO OUR FATHER!" she heard Sokka yell in shocked anger. "YOU HAD IT THE WHOLE TIME?! HOW _COULD _YOU?!" She heard him take a steadying breath. "Well, you can go to the North Pole on your own. I'm going to find Dad." _Sokka, we agreed we were going to help Aang on his quest,_ Katara thought. _Yes, but that was before _this_ little bit of trickery,_ another, angrier voice in the back of her head replied. "Now Sokka, I think you should-" started Bato calmly. "Katara, are you with me?" Sokka asked her. _We did say we were going to help Aang, but... Sokka's my brother. And just how I couldn't lose him to death, I can't lose him by going separate ways, either. _After a tense moment, she brokenly replied in a quiet voice, "I'm with you, Sokka." And with that, she turned and followed Bato and her brother.

"So _this _is your girlfriend," jeered June. "No wonder she left. She's way too pretty for you." _She is kind of pretty, I guess... Wait, no! I mean... Urgh...!_ Zuko crossly jumped down from the beast, putting it out of his mind for the moment. "Where is he? Where's the Avatar?" he snapped, sounding angrier than he had intended to. The girl stared at him, frightened. "We split up. He's long-gone," the brother retorted, just as angrily. "How _stupid_ do you think I am?" he asked challengingly. "Pretty stupid," the boy smirked. "RUN!" The pair made it only a few steps before the shirshu lashed them with its tongue, and they barreled over. "What're we s'posed to do now?" he spat in annoyance. As they rode into the nearby Abbey again a few minutes later, Zuko grabbed onto the girl's shirt with one hand to make sure she didn't fall off the beast. _She won't be any use to anyone if she falls off and gets hurt or killed,_ he reasoned.

As he lay there a little while later, temporarily paralyzed and getting a headache from the previous barrage of perfume, Zuko noticed his Uncle laying on the ground, hugging June close to him. A nagging suspicion began to creep over him. "Uncle... I didn't see _you_ get hit by the tongue..." "Shhh..." his Uncle whispered cheerfully as June glared with what she could of her face. He gagged internally. _What does he _see_ in her?..._

Riding Appa, many apologies and reconciliations later, Aang told Katara, "I wish I could give you a little piece of home, Katara. Something to remind you-" "I'll be okay," she replied. _Not the mushy stuff again Aang, please._ "Still! Just, a little trinket... Maybe something like... This?" To her amazement, he held out her mother's necklace. "Aang! How'd you get that?" she asked excitedly, grabbing it and tying it on, checking and rechecking several times to make sure it wouldn't fall off again. _I can't lose this EVER again... Next time, I might not get it back..._ "Zuko asked me to be sure I got it to you," he joked back. "Oh, that's _so _sweet of Zuko. Would you give him a kiss for me when you see him?" She was definitely joking, but she blushed slightly in spite of herself. "Sure!" replied Aang. Giving a silent sigh, Katara leaned forward and gave Aang a kiss on the cheek. _He did get my necklace back for me. The least I can do is give him a little kiss on the cheek._ A little while later though, she did have to wonder and thank the spirits that Zuko, for whatever reason, hadn't gotten rid of her necklace.

**What'd you think? Review and tell me! :) Seriously. If I don't get any reviews soon, I'm not going to be very motivated to keep going, and vice-versa: the more reviews I get, the more motivated I'll be, and the quicker I'll update ;) It doesn't matter whether you're a member or guest, just review!**


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